One of the longest running demands of Tamil Nadu politicians has finally come to an end with this decision of the Centre.

New Delhi: Centre has decided to grant exemption to Tamil Nadu students from NEET 2017. One of the longest running demands of Tamil Nadu politicians has finally come to an end with this decision of the Centre. Close to 4000 seats are available in government colleges, including those surrendered by the private medical colleges. 'If the state government promulgate an ordinance asking for exception for NEET this year, the Centre is ready to agree with that demand,' said Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. 'Based on our interaction with the State, there is difficulty for rural students in getting admission,' she further added.

The State needs to pass an Ordinance specifying that the exemption is sought to help rural students to get admission in government colleges.

Tamil Nadu comprises of more than 90% students from the State Board, which makes it difficult for them to qualify the NEET which is completely based on CBSE syllabus. This made it difficult for even high scorers in the State to stand tall with their CBSE counterparts.

Tamil Nadu Health Minister, C Vijayabaskar will submit the Ordinance tomorrow to exempt the State from NEET for 1 year. On August 3, for the second time in past three weeks, the Health Minister had met the Prime Minister along with Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai once again and requested for a NEET-exemption.

The decision, which has come two days after the meeting of Chief Minister E Palaniswami and Prime Minister Narendra Modi which further gave a hint towards the AIADMK and BJP merger, is sure to bring relief to students in the State for whom admission process had stalled; especially for those students from the rural areas of the state who scored high in the higher secondary examinations but could do not well in the NEET.